St Ives Town vs Weymouth

Recap

Zubar’s late show gives Weymouth boss Matthews final league win

ST IVES TOWN 1

Seymour-Shove 9

WEYMOUTH 2

Zubar 78, 89

A STEPHANE Zubar double ensured Jason Matthews’ final league game in charge of Weymouth ended in victory, as the Terras bounced back to record their 14th league triumph of the campaign.

The Weymouth captain got on the end of two crosses to ensure his side rallied and sent his manager home with a three league points on his final away venture for the club in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

Matthews, who is set to leave his position after Tuesday’s Dorset Senior Cup final, named himself in goal in a Weymouth side that was unbeaten in nine league contests going into the game.

The Terras were however without Jordan Copp and Mark Cooper through injury and Dean Evans was banned for the clash.

That meant starts were given to youngsters Tiago Sa and Dane James and Sean Stewart was also once again given a place in midfield.

But Matthews’ final league outing would not have started the way he would have liked it to, as the hosts took the lead after just 12 minutes.

A defensive slip allowed Saints’ Ben Seymour-Shove the opportunity to strike from range and he found the net past the Terras’ boss to open the scoring.

Chances then came for the visitors to respond. Stuart Fleetwood’s cross just evaded Stewart and Billy Lowes fired narrowly wide.

And, after surviving a scare at the other end, Zubar then gave the visitors a warning about his attacking threat, looping a header over the bar from a corner on 33 minutes.

Weymouth then opted to make a switch at the break, as teenager James was replaced by Charlie Davis.

Just six minutes into the second half, a glorious opportunity went begging for Fleetwood. He raced in on goal after making a key interception but, uncharacteristically, failed to hit the target.

Stewart then found himself needing treatment after picking up a knock and, two minutes later, was replaced by Dom Panesar-Dower, as the Terras continued to trail with just 18 minutes left.

Matthews was forced to make a sharp stop to keep the score at 1-0, before captain fantastic Zubar came up with the goods.

He converted his first of the afternoon on 78 minutes, latching on to a cross from Calvin Brooks to slot home and level the game up.

The Saints then had Jack Bradshaw sent off for a second bookable offence and Weymouth piled forward in search of a winner.

Brooks saw his header cleared from a Davis corner and substitute Aaron Rodriguez shot wide after being teed up by Ben Thomson just eight yards out.

But the decisive goal came right at the death and it was that man Zubar once again.

He put the ball home from a Davis free-kick with just a minute of normal time remaining to win the game.

Terras: Matthews, Wells, Sa (Rodriguez), Zubar, Wannell, Brooks, James (Davis), Stewart (Panesar-Dower), Fleetwood, Thomson, Lowes. Sub not used: Molesley

Attendance: 224